Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson yesterday warned miscreants against using the state as a launching pad for militancy and other criminal activities.
Dickson, who condemned Monday’s killing of three soldiers in Nembe Local Government Area, urged militants to leave Bayelsa alone.
The governor said his administration would work with security operatives to apprehend the killers of the three soldiers and bring them to justice.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson-Markson, said the governor spoke in a live radio interview in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The statement said: “The government will not condone a situation whereby the state would be used as a launching pad for violence and criminal activities.”
Dickson said his administration would convene a meeting of monarchs, local government chairman and other major stakeholders in Nembe to deliberate on security matters.
The governor advised traditional rulers to identify more with their subjects and liaise with security agencies to curb insecurity in their domains.
He said: “I would like to use this opportunity to offer my condolences to the military commanders, colleagues and families of the soldiers who were murdered in cold blood in Nembe.
“I would be summoning the traditional rulers in the area and the chairman of the council. After that, I hope to have a critical meeting with other players in that area to discuss the security developments.
“We condemn it in its totality and especially looking at it from the point of view that last year, in the same location, this kind of thing took place. We are very concerned about that. Our duty is to work with the security forces to ensure that the perpetrators are followed up and hunted down.
“They must face justice and, maybe from this incident, we might also get a clue about what happened last year and some other incidents of security breaches.
“The military high command understands that this was an isolated calculated, cold-blooded murder and it has nothing to do with the peace-loving people of Ogbolomabiri in the Nembe Local Government Area. I want to thank the military commander on the ground for that understanding.
“As soon as this incident occurred, I asked the deputy governor, who incidentally is from the area, to proceed there. His visit gave us further insight and proved to be helpful in dousing the tension and apprehension.
“The commander of Operation Delta Safe (ODS), Admiral Okojie, was on the ground. I want to thank him and his officers for the steps they took to assure the law-abiding people of their safety.”
Dickson added: “I want to use this opportunity to call for calm in that area and ask the leaders at various levels to spend more time in their domain and communities so that they can be on top of this kind of development and to liaise with security agencies and government.
“…I want to assure the people that Nembe remains peaceful; there are no major breaches. I call on all the citizens to be at peace and go about their normal lives. The innocent and law-abiding people have nothing to fear.
“Bayelsa State is relatively peaceful, and we do not play politics with the security of this state. Most of you were shocked when I appointed a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Afrikanus, as the Chairman of the Waterways Security Committee.
“He and his team were carefully selected. They know the terrain and, already, their work is showing results, which I cannot publicly say. I have always called on federal officials not to play politics with security in Bayelsa State…”